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Digital water meter

Purpose and necessity of meter replacement

The municipality of Gründau is converting the measurement of drinking water consumption to modern, digital radio water meters. Due to the statutory verification period of 6 years, all approximately 4,800 installed meters will be gradually replaced over the next 1 to 2 years by commissioned specialist companies. The certified HYDRUS 2.0 ultrasonic meter from Diehl Metering is being used.

The key benefits for you as a water customer

No appointments necessary: Your participation is no longer required for the annual reading. Filling out reading cards or arranging appointments is completely eliminated.

Increased security: Since no one needs to enter your house anymore for routine meter readings, the risk of doorstep scammers is effectively minimized.

 

Automatic property protection: The meter features integrated leakage and error detection. Water losses due to undetected pipe bursts or defective appliances (e.g., a running toilet) in your domestic plumbing system are quickly detected.

 

Fairness & Efficiency: Meter reading for the municipality is faster, contactless, and exact as of the billing date, which guarantees precise and fee-appropriate billing.

Function and data readout

Precise ultrasonic technology: The HYDRUS 2.0 measures flow using ultrasonic technology. It has no moving parts, making it extremely low-wear, durable, and resistant to air pockets or suspended solids in the water.

 

The walk-by radio method: The meter transmits its data purely unidirectionally (broadcasting) via radio. For the annual billing, a reader collects the data while walking past outside the building. Ad-hoc data retrieval is only permissible in justified cases of suspicion (e.g., for water network testing in the event of pipe bursts).

 

Minimum radio power: The transmission power is an extremely low approx. 7 milliwatts (mW). The meter does not transmit continuously, but merely sends a signal every approx. 14 seconds for an ultrashort duration of 4 to 15 milliseconds. The total actual transmission time is therefore a maximum of 85 seconds per day.

 

Comparison of wireless performance in everyday use:

- Digital radio water meter: approx. 7 mW

– Baby monitor: approx. 10 mW

– Wi-Fi router: approx. 100 – 200 mW

– Mobile phone (cell phone): approx. 1,000 – 2,000 mW

Self-meter-reading instructions (display operation)

To conserve the internal battery (which has a lifespan of up to 16 years), the LCD display is turned off by default. You can manually turn it on and control it at any time:

 

  1. Open the cover: Open the protective cover on the top of the water meter.
  2. Wait for the function test: All symbols on the display light up briefly.
  3. Read the main value: The current total volume in cubic meters (m³) will then appear automatically. This value remains visible for at least 10 seconds.
  4. Switching through the menu: Underneath the flap is an optical button. By briefly touching the button, you can call up the following information one after the other:

 

   – 1. Value: current meter reading (m³ display with three decimal places)

   – 2nd Value: Battery life (End date)

   – 3. Value: Current software version

   - 4. Value: Current flow rate (m³/h)

   – 5. Value: Error and Alarm Messages

 

Note: If the button is not touched for about 4 minutes, the display automatically turns off again to save energy. If nothing appears on the display, the ambient light on the optical button is too low. You can use a flashlight to increase the light and thus activate the display.

Data Protection and Data Security at a Glance

No address data in the meter: Names, addresses, or customer data are never stored in the wireless water meter. The meter number is linked to your customer data exclusively within the protected billing software of the municipal utilities.

 

High-security encryption: The radio transmission is protected against unauthorized access using 128-bit encryption and rolling, changing radio keys based on the Open Metering Standard (OMS).

 

Internal data storage: The meter stores 1,024 consumption values and 32 monthly values in the device on a rolling daily basis. Access to this internal memory is permitted exclusively on-site using special software.

 

Your rights: You are entitled to all rights under the GDPR (including information, rectification, or restriction of processing). An objection to radio transmission can be submitted in writing by the persons living in the residential unit, stating special reasons.

 

Data Controller:

Municipality of Gründau, represented by the Municipal Council, Am Bürgerzentrum 1, 63584 Gründau.

 

Data Protection Officer:

ceterion AG, Frankfurter Str. 63-69, 65760 Eschborn, Email: Datenschutz@gruendau.de

You can find the complete privacy policy on the website of the municipality of Gründau under the „Drinking water“ section.